Transcript Timber Harvest Planning - Washington State University

Forest Management and
Timber Harvest Planning
Mark Hitchcock CF, MFS
Fairweather Forestry
360-766-6500
[email protected]
Basic Questions For
Forest Landowners
 What are your forest
management objectives?
 What are the physical attributes
of your land?
 What are the biological
characteristics of your forest?
Management Objectives
 Income
 Aesthetics
 Habitat
 Mixed-Use
Physical Attributes
 Soil attributes
 Drainage
 Depth
 Fertility
 Harvest Limitations
 Reforestation Limitations
 Topography
 Elevation
 Aspect
 Adjacent land use
Forest Characteristics
 Species
 Shade Tolerance
 Longevity
 Durability
 Vigor
 Disease
 Insects
 Crown Ratios
Tree Species Characteristics
Species
Shade Tolerance
Typical Longevity
Durability
Western Hemlock
Very Tolerant
400-500 years
Intermediate
Western Redcedar
Very Tolerant
1000+ years
Very Durable
Tolerant
250-300 years
Vulnerable
Douglas Fir
Intermediate
500-750 years
Durable
Big Leaf Maple
Intermediate
150-300 years
Durable
Intolerant
60-100 years
Intermediate
Very Intolerant
150-200 years
Durable
Grand Fir
Red Alder
Black Cottonwood
Evidence of root rot infestation. Root wads appear incomplete, or “fist-like“, due to root decay.
Fallen trees are “jack-strawed” and do not appear directionally felled, as in windthrow.
Later evidence of bark beetle infestation. The first signs of attack are pitch tubes marking where
female beetles have entered the tree. Secondary evidence is dry boring dust, similar to fine sawdust,
found in bark crevices and around the tree base.
Crown type classifications of trees in even-age stands. D= dominant, C= codominant, I=
intermediate, W= wolf, S= suppressed, M= mortality. The “crown ratio” is the proportion of
total tree height that is occupied by live crown. In this illustration, the dominants have a 50
percent crown ratio; the wolf tree has an 80 percent crown ratio.
Silvicultural Systems Simplified
Cultivation of forests through comprehensive
programs of stand treatments, commonly
classified by reproduction method.
 Even-Aged Reproduction Methods
 Clearcutting
 Seed-Tree
 Shelterwood
 Uneven-Aged Reproduction Methods
 Selection
Stand Age = 28 Years
TPA = 397 (RA = 81)
QMD = 10.4
Uniform Thinning
TPA = 150 (RA = 0)
QMD = 12.9
Variable Thinning
TPA = 150 (RA = 20)
QMD = 12.1
A heavily thinned stand at age 50 – 30 years
after the first thinning. This is a highly productive
site where thinnings have reduced stand density to
a low number of large trees. The open condition
has allowed the development of understory plants.
A portion of the same stand, un-thinned, at age 50.
The stand has developed to a high density with
many smaller trees and few plants growing in the
understory because of a lack of light reaching the
ground.
Logging Equipment
 Cable yarding systems
 Ground-based yarding systems
A small cable yarding system equipped with a motorized, clamping carriage is commonly
employed to selectively harvest timber on steep slopes or over vulnerable soils. Use of
intermediate supports can extend yarding distances, thereby reducing the costs and impacts
of road construction.
Motorized carriage in action!
Left and right sides of the graph represent traction under the best
conditions, but soil and weather conditions may reduce gradability.
A crawler tractor is among the most versatile of
machines. When equipped with winch and chokers or
a grapple, as shown in this picture, it can be used for
yarding. Wide, low ground pressure tracks reduce soil
compaction.
The typical rubber-tired skidder will provide very
economical yarding in a variety of silviculture
prescriptions. The use of a cable winch and chokers,
as shown in this picture, increases machine versatility
and reduces soil compaction compared with using the
same machine equipped with a grapple.
A method of commercial thinning now
common is the use of a harvester-forwarder
combination in what is called a cut-to-length
system. The harvester moves through the
stand felling, delimbing, bucking, and
bunching trees selected for harvest;
meanwhile a forwarder loads and moves
these processed logs to the truck road where
it then unloads and sorts the logs into decks
for log truck pickup.
Roads, Landings, and Skid Trails
 Avoid Wetlands and Drainages
 Locate Skid Trails To Minimize Impacts
 Plan to Recycle Skid Trails
 Protect Leave Trees
Ground disturbance comparison between designated skid trails and random
skid trails. In this example, random skid trails result in about 25% more
ground disturbance that designated skid trails.
A rub tree is left intentionally to protect selected leave trees during harvest operations.
Rub trees should be removed, from back to front, after all other logs have been removed.
Tree Selection
 Form
 Vigor
 Crown Ratios

Spacing
 Wildlife Trees
Height/Diameter Ratio
 Intolerant species - Less than or equal
to 85
 Tolerant species - Less than or equal to
95
The gradual decay of wildlife reserve trees into snags.
Tree and Boundary Marking
 Clearly Mark Boundaries
 Property Line Survey
 Tree Marking
Harvest Timing
 Dry Soil Conditions to Minimize Compaction
 Avoid Spring Sap Flow (mid-March to midJune) to Minimize Bark Slippage
Useful Web Sites
Washington State University Cooperative Extension
http://pubs.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/pubs/index.html
Oregon State University Extension
http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/EdMat/
USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/index.shtml
Graphics, Tables, and Pictures Shamelessly Borrowed From:
Creighton, J.H. and D.M. Baumgartner. 1997. Wildlife ecology and forest habitat. EC1866, WSU Cooperative Extension,
Pullman, WA
Duncan, S. 2002. Volume, value, and thinning: logs for the future. Science Findings Issue 48, USDA Forest Service, Pacific
Northwest Research Station.
Garland, J.J. 1997. Designated skid trails minimize soil compaction. EC1110, OSU Extension Service, Corvallis, OR.
Greulich, F.R., D.P. Hanley, J.F. McNeel, and D.M. Baumgartner. 1999. A primer for timber harvesting. EB1316, WSU
Cooperative Extension, Pullman, WA.
Schlosser, W., D.M. Baumgartner, D.P. Hanley, S. Gibbs, and V. Corraro. 1996. Managing your timber sale. EB1818, WSU
Cooperative Extension, Pullman, WA.
Stathers, R.J., T.P. Rollerson, and S.J. Mitchell. 1994. Windthrow handbook for British Columbia forests. Working Paper
9401, British Columbia Ministry of Forestry, Victoria, B.C.